Machine for cleaning shoes



Nov. 10, 1964 F. HERRMANN 3,

MACHINE FOR CLEANING SHOES Filed Aug. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5 Fm' z 7 27717777 United States Patent MACHINE FOR CLEANING SHQESFritz Herrrnann, Hubertusstrasse, Neuenhain, Taunus, Germany Filed Aug.26, 1963, Ser. No. 304,327 Claims priority, application Switzerland,Sept. 5, 1962, 1%,533/62 9 Claims. (Cl. 15-68) This invention relates toa machine for cleaning shoes with at least one motor-driven ringrotatably mounted in a housing, and carrying cleaning elements arrangedin a crown on its internal periphery.

It is desirable to provide shoe cleaning machines with a series of ringshaving different cleaning elements for use with the differentconventional shoe dyes. However, it is not in practice possible toprovide a shoe-cleaning machine with a large number of powered rings forreasons of economy and space. Consequently, a shoe-cleaning machine mustbe limited to a few such rings at most, with a possibility of exchangingone or more rings if required. This interchange must be such, that itcan be effected as quickly as possible and in a simple manner. An objectof the present invention is to satisfy these requirements.

According to the invention, there is provided a shoecleaning machinecomprising a housing, a ring rotatably mounted in an opening of thehousing, and provided with internal cleaning elements arranged in acrown, a roller for rotating the ring, and at least three peripherallydistributed rollers arranged to guide the ring externally, at

least one of the guide rollers being removable from its guidingposition, so that the ring can be disengaged from the guide rollers.

In the accompanying drawings which show two embodiments of theinvention:

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment in vertical median section;

FIG. 2 is a transversal section along the line II-II of.

FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment on an enlarged scale and in partlyexploded view;

FIG. 4 is a section along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

The shoe-cleaning machine illustrated comprises a housing 1, with afront wall 2 which has a circular opening 3 on an upper, upwardlyreceding portion. The housing 1 has a back wall 4 and is closed at thetop by a lid 5. The lid 5 cube swung upwards on hinges 7 g on the backwall 4, an intervening packing element 6 being also provided. The lid 5can be maintained in the closed position by means of a lock (not shown)on the opposite side.

A ring 8 is arranged in the housing immediately behind the opening 3.The ring is coaxial to the opening and in parallel to the obliqueportion of the front wall 2. The ring is rotatable about its axis. Theinternal periphery of the ring S is provided with a crown of cleaningelements 9 for cleaning shoes and has a flange 19 on the outside. Theflange 10 is engaged by three rollers 11, 12, 13, arranged in atriangle, in such a manner, that they rotate the ring 8 about its axisand secure it against radial displacement in all directions. The rollers11, 12 and 13 are provided with flanges 14, between which the flange 10of the ring is secured against axial displacements with a slight play.

The two lower rollers 12, 13 are mounted for rotation in bearings 15 inthe front wall 2 and the upper roller 11 is rotatably mounted inbearings 16 at one end of a twoarmed lever 17. This lever l7 is parallelto the oblique upper portion of the front wall and is thus also parallelto the ring 8 and is pivotably mounted on the front Wall by means of apivot pin 18. Thelever 17 is under the load of a traction spring 19,which .is anchored to the Patented Nov. 10, 1964 "ice front wall 2 ofthe housing and tends to maintain the lever in the position shown inFIG. 2, in which position roller 11 is in contact with flange 10,thereby maintaining ring 8 in contact with rollers 12 and 13.

The ring 8 has an external toothed rim 20, which is engaged by a toothedwheel 21 in the lower part of the housing. The toothed wheel 21 isseated on the shaft 22 of an electric motor 23, which is mounted on abracket 24 fastened to the front wall of the housing and has anupward-extending arm 25 for the seating of the shaft 22. The motor 23 iscovered by a shield element 26 which catches dust brushed off from theshoes by the elements 9. The dust can then be drawn off by a fan ifrequired.

A switch element 27 is located in the power circuit of the motor 23, andso operates with the free end of the lever 17 in such a manner that itstarts the motor when the lever is in the position illustrated, andswitches off the motor when the switch is in any other position. Thelever 17 can be pivoted from the position shown in the direction ofarrow 28 to such an extent that the roller 11 releases the ring 8 topermit removal from rollers 12, 13. To replace the ring 8 by another itis therefore only necessary to open the housing by lifting the lid 5upwards and to raise lever 17 by hand to stop the drive of the ring.When the ring is stopped it can be lifted out manually from rollers 12,13, to be lifted in axial direction towards the gear wall 4 of thehousing away from the range of rollers and removed upwards from thehousing. The new ring can then be inserted in reverse sequence into therollers l2, l3, aligned and held in the position for rotation by releaseof the lever 17 under loading of the spring 19, whereby the switchelement 27 is put in the on position at the end of the pivotal movementof the lever. The lid 5 is then closed and locked and the cleaningprocess is started with the new ring.

Instead of, or in addition to, the switch element 27 another switchelement may be arranged within the housing, to be actuated by lid 5, bymeans of which the drive is switched on in the closed position of thelid and interrupted in any other position.

The switch element 27 may also co-operate with a coupling arranged inthe motor gearing instead of switching on and off the power asillustrated in the drawing.

The arrangement is such, that the coupling is engaged,

when the lever 17 is in the operative position but is disengaged in anyother position of the lever. The use of a switch element actuated by lid5 is also advantageous in this case, so that the motor is switched ononly when the lid of the housing is closed. The coupling actuated by theswitch element 27 in this case is switched on and off when the drive isat rest, and the wear on it is correspondingly smaller.

A frictional contact drive can'also be provided for ring 8 instead of atoothed wheel drive.. Such a drive reduces the cost of the apparatus andensures a noiseless operation. In this case, the ring is expedientlyformed of a rubber-elastic material and, instead of having the flangeIt}, is provided with a central annular groove into which flange-lessrollers can engage. In this case, the ring may be driven'by one of therollers.

The ring 8 may be guided by rollers arranged otherwise thantriangularly, for example by rollers arranged in a square. In this casethe lever 17 must, if required, be

provided with more than one roller or must be coupled their guidingposition.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 arid 4 the lower roller 13' is,instead of the upper roller 11 rotatably mounted at one end of thetwo-armed lever 29 by means of aboltlS, with an interveningbearing'bushdll." The 3 shaft of the bolt is screwed into a threadedbore of the lever 29 and clamps a bush 30 in position. The central partof the lever 29 has a boss 31 running on a bearing bush 32, which isattached to a partition wall portion 34 of the housing by means of athreaded bolt 33.

The free arm 35 of the lever 29 is off set as shown in FIG. 3 and has asurface 36 which is located in the plane defined by the axis of bolts 15and 33. A small roller 37 co-operates with the surface 36, and ismounted for rotation about an axis 39 on the free end of a steering cam38. The cam 38 is seated at one end of a shaft 40 which extendsoutwardly through an aperture of the front wall 41 of the housing and isprovided with a hand-grip 42. The cam 38 is also provided with a lug 43which cooperates with a button 44 of the motor switch 45. The motor (nothere shown), advantageously drives the other lower roller 12, which isotherwise identical with roller 13 and like the latter is in engagementwith an annular groove 46 of a rubber ring 48 seated on the brush rim47. A traction spring 49 is attached to the lever 29, is

anchored to a projection 50 of the housing, and tends to maintain theroller 13' in engagement with the rubber ring 48.

The motor is shut down when the parts are in the position shown in thedrawing and the hand-grip 42 is secured, in the position shown, by aball spring lock, the ball 52 and the spring 51 of which are guided in abore of the cam 38, the ball 52 engaging in a corresponding notch of ayoke 53 fast with the housing.

To switch on the motor, the hand-grip 42 is pivoted in the direction ofthe arrow 54 so that lug 43 engages the button 44, presses it and holdsit in this position. In this terminal position, the cam 38 is secured bythe ball spring lock, the ball 52 of which snaps into a correspondingnotch of the yoke 53.

The motor is shut off by pivoting the hand-grip back into the restposition illustrated.

For removing the brush ring, the hand-grip 42 is pivoted in thedirection opposite to that of the arrow 54 until the ball 52 again snapsinto a corresponding notch. The cam 38 which participates in thispivoting movement moves on the surface 36 of the lever 29 together withthe small roller 37 and pivots these in the direction of the arrow 55.Roller 13 is therefore guided out of the groove 46 and passes into theterminal position indicated by composite lines in FIG. 3, where it is atsuch a distance from the rubber ring 48, that the brush ring, togetherwith rim 4-7 and rubber ring 48, can be pulled orl the two other rollersand can be removed from the housing in the direction of the arrow 56.Another brush ring can be set in its place in reverse sequence ofoperations, to be brought automatically into its operating position bythe pivoting back of the grip 42, under loading of the spring 49. It hasbeen found, that the insertion of the ring through the aperture of thehousing is facilitated by the obliqueness of the upper portion of thefront wall. It sufiices to insert the ring with its groove 46 into thetwo lower rollers and then to push it so far into the housing that itsrim comes into contact with the upper roller. The grip being then swunginto the operating position, the ring tilts automatically into its guideposition on starting of the motor, under the influence of the torqueexerted on it by its own weight, about the support axis formed by thetwo lower rollers. Moreover, the obliqueness of the upper portion of thefront wall has the additional advantage that the dust and dirt fallingout during shoecleaning falls from the ring brush into the interior ofthe housing.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening, internalcleaning-elements arranged in a crown and mounted on the internalperiphery of said ring, a motor for rotating said ring, means forguiding said ring externally and-consisting of at least threeperipherally distributed guide rollers and means for moving at least oneof said rollers from its guiding position whereby said ring can bedisengaged from said guide rollers.

2. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening, internal cleaningelements arranged in a crown and mounted on the internal periphery ofsaid ring, a motor for rotating said ring, means for guiding said ringexternally and consisting of at least three peripherally distributedguide rollers, a lever on which one of said rollers is mounted and pivotmeans on said lever to allow movement of said lever from a position inwhich the roller thereon guides said ring to a position in which saidring can be disengaged from said guide rollers.

3. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening, internal cleaningelements arranged in a crown and mounted on the internal periphery ofsaid ring, a motor for rotating said ring, means for guiding said ringexternally and consisting of at least three peripherally distributedguide rollers, a lever on which one of said rollers is mounted, pivotmeans on said lever to allow movement of said lever from a firstposition in which the roller thereon guides said ring to a secondposition in which said ring can be disengaged from said guide rollers,and a spring for biassing said lever to said first position.

4. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening, internal cleaningelements arranged in a crown and mounted on the internal periphery ofsaid ring, a motor for rotating said ring, means for guiding said ringexternally and consisting of at least three peripherally distributedguide rollers, a lever on which one of said rollers is mounted, pivotmeans on said lever to allow movement of said lever from a firstposition in which the roller thereon guides said ring to a secondposition in which said ring can be disengaged from said guide rollers, aspring for biassing said leved to said first position and a switchelement which starts said motor when said lever is in the said firstposition and stops said motor when said lever is not in said firstposition.

5. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening, which is ofsufiicient size to permit the said ring to be removed and reinsertedtherethrough, internal cleaning elements arranged in a crown and mountedon the internal periphery of said ring, a motor for rotating said ring,means for guiding said ring externally and consisting of at least threeperipherally distributed guide rollers, a lever on which one of saidrollers is mounted, pivot means on said lever to allow movement of saidlever from a first position in which the roller thereon guides said ringto a second position in which said ring can be disengaged from saidguide rollers, a spring for biassing said lever to said first positionand a switch element which starts said motor when said lever is in saidfirst position and stops said motor when said lever is not in said firstposition.

6. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening and having an annularcentral external groove, internal cleaning elements arranged in the formof a crown and mounted on the internal periphery of said ring, means forguiding said ring externally consisting of at least three peripherallydistributed guide rollers engaging said external groove on said ring, amotor for driving said ring and means for moving at least one of saidrollers out of engagement with said external groove whereby said ringcan be disengaged from said guide rollers.

7. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening and having an annularcentral external groove, internal cleaning elements arranged in the formof a crown and mounted on the internal periphery of said ring, means forguiding said ring externally consisting of a driving roller and at leasttwo peripherally distributed guide rollers engaging said external grooveon said ring, a motor for driving said driving roller and means formoving at least one of said rollers out of engagement with said externalgroove whereby said ring can be disengaged from said guide rollers.

8. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing including a front wall,at least part of which recedes upwardly and has an opening therein, aring parallel with said part of the front wall rotatably mounted in saidopening having an annular central external groove, internal cleaningelements arranged in the form of a crown and mounted on the internalperiphery of said ring, means for guiding said ring externallyconsisting of a driving roller and at least two peripherally distributedguide rollers engaging said external groove on said ring, a motor fordriving said driving roller and means for moving at least one of saidrollers out of engagement with said external groove whereby said ringcan be disengaged from said guide rollers.

9. A shoe cleaning machine comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a ring rotatably mounted in said opening, internal cleaningelements arranged in a crown and mounted on the internal periphery ofsaid ring, a motor for rotating said ring, means for guiding said ringexternally and consisting of at least three peripherally distributedguide rollers, a lever on which one of said rollers is mounted, pivotmeans on said lever to allow movement of said lever from a firstposition in which the roller thereon guides said ring to a secondposition in which said ring can be disengaged from said guide rollers,and a spring for biassing said lever to said first position and anoperating handle movable from a median at rest position in which themachine is at rest to a first terminal position in which the motoroperates to drive said ring or to a second terminal position in whichsaid lever is moved to its second position.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,052,973 Scheer Feb. 11, 1913 1,836,924 Kenny et a1 Dec. 15, 19312,657,246 Arones Apr. 13, 1954 2,933,752 McLennon Apr. 26, 1960

1. A SHOE CLEANING MACHINE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING AN OPENINGTHEREIN, A RING ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING, INTERNAL CLEANINGELEMENTS ARRANGED IN A CROWN AND MOUNTED ON THE INTERNAL PERIPHERY OFSAID RING, A MOTOR FOR ROTATING SAID RING, MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID RINGEXTERNALLY AND CONSISTING OF AT LEAST THREE PERIPHERALLY DISTRIBUTEDGUIDE ROLLERS MEANS FOR MOVING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ROLLERS FROM ITSGUIDING POSITION WHEREBY SAID RING CAN BE DISENGAGED FROM SAID GUIDEROLLERS.